HAROLD GOLDBERG; President The Professional Manager / Crestcom Partner "Learning From Leaders&
In this very competitive global market
and volatile economy, companies are desperately vying to gain extra ground to grab attention, increase productivity and improve leadership abilities.
One proven way that thousands of managers and leaders have used to reach those coveted goals is through Crestcom, a corporation renowned as a world leader in business management, leadership and sales development training.
Crestcom has served thousands of executives in cities across the globe for a quarter century – and has been named the number one professional development firm by Entrepreneur Magazine and Success Magazine.
Any size business can benefit from these courses, which help leaders develop practical tools to work on improving performance, productivity and profitability.
One local franchisee is doing just that, and its CEO, Harold Goldberg, has worked his way up to the world’s top 20 Crestcom franchisees.
Harold has worked with managers from many companies including: Esri Canada (Canada’s Best Managed Companies Award); ET Group (Profit 500); Monte Carlo Inns; Pizza Nova; Estates of Sunnybrook; Canadian Payroll
Association and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association.
Prior to Crestcom Harold was an experienced financial management consultant who advised dozens of companies during his 30-year career including: CIBC Bank, BMO Financial Group, PepsiCo, Investors Group and
Cadillac Fairview Shopper Centres.
My Business Magazine asked Toronto Crestcom franchise owner Harold Goldberg what companies most want
to improve, where leaders often fall short, and how Crestcom can help leaders overcome those and other challenges.
MBM: What made you decide to buy a Crestcom franchise?
GOLDBERG: I was originally in financial planning, and I wanted to use my financial background to help people’s lives. I wanted a forward facing business, not sitting behind a desk all day - I saw that in Crestcom, which has been operating in Canada for almost twenty years.
Most people who become managers or leaders are good at what they do, but not necessarily good at managing people. We teach valuable skills including: leadership; team building; communication; customer service; negotiation and
problem solving.
MBM: Can you expand on the ideas and concepts Crestcom
imparts to clients?
GOLDBERG: Our primary product is the Bullet Proof® Manager, where we teach leadership and management skills. Over the course of a year, the client goes offsite for four hours a month, and each month learns two new skills. In September, we talked about managing different personalities, and how
to become an efficient problem solver. In October, it was communication and managing strategic change.
Anyone can join at any time, and go for twelve months, with no official beginning or end. It’s an ongoing program. After 12 months you graduate, you get a diploma, and you have learned 24 new skills.
MBM: What are some specific things a manager might have to deal with, which you help with?
GOLDBERG: One example would be dealing with a problem employee.
A manager needs to learn what motivates people. For some, it’s money – but that’s rare – and for some people it’s their family, being successful, working in a team. We help leaders discover what makes others tick, and use that
knowledge to improve relationships and to build teams. We also help leaders identify the types of employees they have on their team, and how different personalities interact with each other.
The best teams are made up like sports teams. If everyone was the same it wouldn’t work. You need superstars, background players, and a support crew.
MBM: What kinds of things besides management skills do people learn?
GOLDBERG: Strategic thinking: We get people to really think about where they want to go in future. We help them envision it, and teach about erosion factors, that is, things that come up that would stop them from moving forward, and actually start to plan for those things proactively.
MBM: What are some of the first questions your clients ask
before signing on?
GOLDBERG: Business owners and CEOs ask us which companies have enrolled in our program.
We have trained over 750 organizations in the GTA including many small and medium size companies. Crestcom has also worked with three quarters of the Fortune 500 companies in North America.
I also get asked “how do I know that this program will work for my company?” We actually go into companies and lead their management team through a 21⁄2 hour skills workshops where they see how the program works and identify their return on investment (ROI).
COMB: What results have you seen with your clientele?
GOLDBERG: There are two main results.
The first result is the ROI. Companies who enroll in the Bullet Proof® Manager program achieve an ROI of five to six times, which we measure and report back to the business leader. Most people think that training is an expense. We show them that there is a real return on that investment. We track it, and
ask participants to share their successes. We then go back and review successes with the owner or CEO.
The second result is accountability. Each month we hold an on-site debrief meeting where the participants share their action plans and their progress with their peers and their managers. Accountability is the key to our program.
Participants report what the best part of the program was for them and what action they plan to take. The action plans are then recorded and monitored. Month by month we see real progress.
Participants learn from others in their company, and from the others in the course. Participants are always seated with leaders from other companies and industries.
Let’s say someone from not-for-profit community housing sits next to a manager in a computer company. You would think they have nothing in common, however, everyone who enrolls has something in common. They all
deal with people, and they want to be better at managing and motivating.
We ensure that the strategies which are taught in the program are implemented, in order improve the company’s performance, and that’s the bottom line.
Dave Gordon has penned more than a thousand articles, and more than five hundred editorials, on every topic imaginable. He writes regularly on domestic and international politics, current events, culture, relationship issues, and much more.
He has spent time in the newsrooms of the Toronto Sun, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Baltimore Sun, National Post and eye Weekly.
harold.goldberg@crestcom.com
Phone:(416)828-2439
WWW.crestcom.com
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